Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

Just what I wanted to be, alone with Harper Bailey.

But that was not going to happen because the second we stepped onto the rooftop I lead her to, although the music was dulled and the breeze was wonderful, Cherry, her band mates and a few of our friends were already there, as if in waiting. You can’t turn around and drag Harper with you, Callum. When they saw us coming, they whooped and hollered, thoroughly embarrassing me.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Cherry started, rising and bowing at her engrossed crowd, “if I may have your attention, please! Introducing, for your entertainment, a one mister Callum Tate and his lovely assistant, Harper!”

The dramatic group all rose to their feet and clapped at our approach.

“I’m sorry about this,” I whispered at Harper but she only laughed. “Thank you! Thank you!” I make a slight bow myself.

“Speech! Speech!” Freddy yelled.

“Freddy. Pink hair? Seriously?” I teased.

“What kind of speech was that?” He joked.

“Harper, pink-hair-dude is Freddy.” Freddy waved. “This is Tie-Dye Tom, as you can tell from his tie-dye t-shirt.” Tom stuck his hand out.

“Tie-Dye, eh?” Harper asked.

“Yes, milady. I own seventy-seven of them.”

“Congrats?”

“Thank you.”

“And you know Cherry,” I say. Cherry hugs her hello. “And this is SO.” I point out our most Gentleman’s Quarterly member.

“A pleasure,” Harper said. “SO, is it?”

“It’s not my real name,” he corrected smoothly.

“That’s right, SO’s real name is Henry or something stupid like that,” Cherry chimed in.

“What does SO stand for, then?” Harper asked, ignoring Cherry.

“Smooth Operator,” we all said in unison, then laughed out loud.

SO takes Harper’s hand and kisses the knuckles. “Did I mention we are a dramatic bunch?” I asked. I point to each remaining member of the group as I mention their name. “Kelly, Cross, Marty, Aaron, Nat, Jared and Josiah, but we call them ‘the twins’ because, well, they’re twins, and last, but not least, Sam, short for Samantha.”

Everyone smiles and nods, finally taking note of Harper, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of her. Samantha patted the seat next to her and Harper took the offered seat. I found an empty place next to Cherry and watched Harper talk to Sam.

“You’re smitten,” I heard to my left.

“I’m not,” I tell Cherry.

“You’re smitten, dude. It’s obvious.”

“No, I’m not!”

“Callum, you wear your emotions all over your face. Plus, Harper’s sitting directly next to Sam, whom, by the way, I would have bet money on that you were in love with just two days ago, and you barely took note of her. You’re smitten with that girl.”

“I can’t help it,” I blurt out. Cherry laughed. “I really can’t, Cherry. I’m going out of my mind. I’m mad at you, by the way.”

“What? Why?” She demanded.

“We had this moment earlier. The one you interrupted. Ring a bell?”

“Oops,” she laughed. “Sorry.”